1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of locks. More particularly, the invention pertains to vehicle locks.
2. Description of Related Art
Two major problems exist with currently available rotor locks for motorcycles and other recreational-type vehicles. First, they do not eliminate fore and aft movement of the wheel or track. Second, when not in use, i.e. when the lock is in an unlocked state, they must be stored somewhere other than on the motorcycle wheel.
When using immobilizers on vehicles, such as motorcycles, mopeds, ATVs, and snowmobiles, there is a need to prevent the possibility of accidental damage to the rotor, caliper, or wheel rim of the vehicle. To satisfy this requirement, it is necessary to eliminate any and all forward or rearward slack between the immobilizing member and the rotor, caliper, or wheel of the vehicle.
One drawback to conventional external locking mechanisms on vehicle braking systems is the slack in the locking point. This slack can cause damage to braking parts when forward and rearward movement takes place. Conventional locking mechanisms offer some wheel immobilization, but allow room for unwanted forward and rearward movement.
Additionally, the application of external locking mechanisms of the prior art creates the possibility of locking mechanism misplacement and locking mechanism storage difficulties on small vehicles. Externally applied locking mechanisms need to be placed into storage when the vehicle is in use, therefore creating a burden on the user to find a storage location. This inconvenience to the user may lead the user to avoid using the vehicle lock on a regular basis. Therefore, there is a need in the art for both a fully immobilizing rotor lock and a permanently mounted rotor lock that remains on the vehicle, does not need to be stored, and is much more convenient for the user.